Hinsdale South Coach Firing Protested

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale South High School boys varsity basketball players and parents objected late last week to the school district's firing of the coach, with one parent saying the decision served to "cheat the masses."

A week earlier, Hinsdale High School District 86 quietly dismissed coach Michael Belcaster after the season ended. This was a month and a half following the board's decision against suspending the coach.

In November, parent Erin Savage sued the district in federal court over Belcaster's decision to cut her son from the team.

The lawsuit included information showing Belcaster had been a standout player and argued he was barred from the team because he filed a complaint alleging the former coach bullied and humiliated him.

Days after the lawsuit, the board met about the situation, with the player, Brendan Savage, allowed on the team soon after.

At the school board meeting Thursday, Hinsdale South parent Jason Jaffrey said the district mishandled the situation, arguing the district "bowed down" to a lawsuit and failed residents.

"The lesson is to appease one to cheat the masses," Jaffrey said. "My heart breaks for these kids. They've been cheated."

Player Adam Flowers said the district made a "huge mistake" by ousting Belcaster. He said Belcaster has shown he is a good coach and that under the coach's leadership, the team scored the most wins since 2020.

"You guys really don't care about kids – five coaches in five years. How can you possibly say that you care about kids?" Flowers said. "When you give somebody a job, you expect stability and you guys have failed to give Belcaster that chance."

Another player, Noah Therapos, said Belcaster made sure his team members were always good people to others.

"As a coach and as a man, he sets the bar high," Therapos said. "We're not going to get a guy like that again, at least for a while. He just cares about improvement and you first, and he makes sure you're comfortable."

A girls varsity player, Amerie Flowers, also praised Belcaster. She said the coach let her work out with the boys in the fall, even though she was a player on the girls team. Belcaster gave her pointers on how to improve, he said.

"He didn't have to, but he did," she said.

She said the team has lacked a consistent coach for years, a situation she termed as "ridiculous."

The board did not respond to the public comments about Belcaster. Its policy states that members are not supposed to immediately respond to comments.

Last week, the district declined to comment on Belcaster's situation.

On Thursday, Steven Glink, a lawyer for the Savages, told Patch that his client did not seek Belcaster's ouster. That was the district's call, he said.

He also said the district was considering settling the family's lawsuit.

Belcaster is a physical education teacher at Brooks Middle School in Bolingbrook.